Until Next Time
by Tomato guppy
Summary: In a post-SBURB universe, Karkat and the rest of the trolls are ready to go back to their natural home, but Karkat has accidentally left John a little "gift" that could possibly destroy the young male's human body.
1. Chapter 1

John bounced onto the crab-printed blanket and looked up at his boyfriend/matesprit of almost 2 years with big, blue, curious eyes. "You called me over for a reason, Karkat." he said as he started kicking his legs. "Now quit looking down and tell me!"

Karkat was standing by his desk that donned his prized husktop. He was staring at his feet and playing with his hands, unable to look at John. He took a deep sigh when he felt the human's fleshy toes poke at his leg. "John," he said. "I have to leave you. All of us are going back home."

John's eyes got wide and he stared at Karkat in horror. "B-but why?"

Karkat looked at John with red tears sliding down his face. He smiled sadly. "We need to go back to our own home. We're out of place here."

John couldn't believe it. After all this time, all the knowledge Karkat and the others had gained after coming here. And now they were leaving. "...When do you all plan on going?"

"We want to be gone before Saturday."

"But... It's Thursday..."

"And Kanaya and I are the last to clean out our rooms."

John's bottom lip started to tremble, and soon enough he was sobbing uncontrollably. Karkat felt terrible. It wasn't his idea to leave, but only he and Kanaya wanted to stay behind as the rest of the group was ready for home. Quadrants had shifted around. Terezi was in a happy matespritship with Vriska, Tavros and Gamzee somehow went full-on flushed, Aradia and Sollux were also filling up their 3 quadrant with each other, Eridan and Feferi were doing just as the rest of them. That only left Kanaya, Karkat, Nepeta, and Equius that weren't like the others. Karkat and Kanaya had fallen for their own humans. Nepeta still felt slightly flushed for Karkat, something that would probably never go away. This was also a problem for Equius, but with Aradia.

John and Karkat started secretly dating during the SBURB game, and when they had finally defeated the entire game, John and Karkat finally told everyone. Yet, they all seemed like they already knew all along.

Of course their relationship had its own sexual moments, but there was always a bucket around during the intense times. John had tried to get Karkat to use a condom, but it just wouldn't do. The bucket soon became a normal thing for John and was used at least three times a month.

Back in reality, John was being squeezed to death by his boyfriend. Red tears was staining the boy's white shirt. John and Karkat cried together for a little while until they couldn't cry any longer, so then they just sat there, taking in each other's scent. They stayed like that for a good 10 minutes until Karkat got up. "I better get packed... There's going to be a party tomorrow for or leaving and all that sappy shit..." Karkat then rolled off the bed and crawled over to his dresser. John sat up and watched in silence. He soon started helping Karkat. Soon enough, they finished cleaning out all of his clothes. All Karkat owned were 7 pairs of grey pants, 7 seven long sleeved shirts with grey cancer signs on them, and one his old god tier outfit from the game that always magically fit, no matter how Karkat grew (which wasn't much in the first place, but all god tier outfits grew with the owner.)

-

When Friday rolled around, the trolls had a little get together that was bittersweet. There were drinks, party hats, salamanders, and a lot of cake, but all of this couldn't hold down the rainbow waterfall of tears that were shed at the end. Strong friendships and even stronger relationships would be forced to break. As much as Karkat, John, Rose, and Kanaya hated it, they knew it had to be done.

Around one in the morning, everyone decided it was time to get some sleep. Karkat and John went through the trolls' home and got to Karkat's room. They had found an old motel that was outside the city of Seattle that was worn down and not even being asked for rent. The trolls immediately took up the chance to use the building as their home as they learned more about the human way of life. There were 15 rooms, so the rooms that were vacant were either used as bedrooms when the kids came to visit or as storage. Storage was never a problem for the trolls, except for Aradia and her architect equipment and the many fossils she found while exploring with Sollux and Tavros.

John and Karkat walked up to room number 6, which was Karkat's room. They went in and sat on the bed. Karkat looked at John and sighed as John rubbed his eyes. "I'm sleepy..." he said. "I guess we should get to bed, tomorrow is a big upsetting day..."

Karkat nodded and the couple stripped to their boxers and snuggled under the crab-printed blankets.

-

It was Thursday, almost a week had passed since the trolls had left back to their planets. The four humans stayed within close proximity of each other. They actually put their money together and rented out a two story house outside of the city by Lincoln Park. John was the only one to not have a job, so he stayed by himself in the house during the week. Jade worked as a substitute teacher at Nathan Hale high school and Rainier Beach high school most of the time. She was working on a teaching degree in biology and anatomy. Rose worked at Seattle Central library and liked to be there as often as possible so she could get her mind off of Kanaya. Dave took after his brother and DJ'd at Trinity by night and was out with some popular dubstep artists during the day.

This left John very lonely when everyone was working all day and sometimes at night. He would write letters to Karkat that he would never send and draw terrible pictures of clouds and his friends. He even tried baking once, but he did not receive the gifts of cooking from his dad, so he made sandwiches and cereal for when Rose and Jade got home. John had caught up on all the cartoons he'd ever want to watch, but it wasn't enough. He missed his Karkat. He missed waking up to find skinny gray arms wrapped around his torso, he missed watching cheesy romcoms with Karkat and handing him dozens of tissues throughout the film. He missed everything.

It was around two in the afternoon, Rose had stopped by at home to get her lunch she had forgotten. She smiled at John who was still in his boxers, spinning a quarter while sitting at the dinner table. "John," she said. "You look positively terrible like this. I miss Kanaya just as much as you miss Karkat, but we need to continue living our lives. When we are able to make a teleporter like the ones depicted on Star Trek, then we will reunite."

John sighed sadly. "Why did they have to leave so soon?"

"They felt out of place, I can't blame them for wanting to go home to their respective place. I thought it was very nice of them to try to stay up half the day and half the night, but you know trolls are naturally nocturnal."

"Then how come we couldn't have gone with them? Feferi's ancestor is dead and Feferi's queen now! She wouldn't have us dead..."

"True, but remember this, John. The Trollian race seems to be a rather violent race. They even have a section of relationship cut out for hate-making. The other trolls that are inhabited on their planet might think of us as a threat, regardless of what Feferi tells them. We could have been murdered in our sleep, no matter how secure we were kept."

John grumbled to himself, which made Rose giggle slightly. "Come on, John. let's go to the library and finish up my hours. Then, I'll treat you to a milkshake afterwards."

His face brightened up. "Sweet! Thanks, Rose!" John scampered off to get dressed.

Rose smiled again and rolled her eyes. "Honestly, it is so simple to get him worked up. It is as if Dave and I are the parents, and Jade on John are the children." she grabbed her lunchbox and went to the car to wait for John.

At the library, John got onto the computer, went to his old middle school account, and quickly logged onto Pesterchum. He had gotten a new computer and Pesterchum wouldn't download just yet, so he took any chance he got to get on a computer and log on. Once he was in, he saw about 20 messages all from the same person.

_**carcinoGenesist [CG] began trolling ectoBiologist [EB]**_

_**CG: HEY JOHN.**_  
_**CG: I'VE BEEN MISSING YOU A TON SINCE WE LEFT.**_  
_**CG: I'VE BEEN DOING GOOD.**_  
_**CG: BUT NOT AS GOOD AS I WAS WHEN I WAS ON EARTH.**_  
_**CG: ANYWAYS, THINGS HAVE BEEN GOOD HERE SO FAR.**_  
_**CG: ONCE FEFERI GOT ON HER THRONE, THE WHOLE PLANET SEEMED TO GO FROM SHITTY TO NOT AS SHITTY. **_  
_**CG: SO I GUESS THAT'S PRETTY GOOD.**_  
_**CG: JOHN, WHERE ARE YOU?**_  
_**CG: IT'S BEEN 20 MINUTES SINCE I STARTED MESSAGING YOU.**_  
_**CG: WHATEVER, MAYBE YOU'RE IN THE SHOWER.**_  
_**CG: MESSAGE ME BACK THE SECOND YOU GET THIS, GOT IT?**_

_**carcinoGenesist [CG] ceased trolling ectoBiologist [EB]**_

_**carcinoGenesist [CG] began trolling ectoBiologist [EB]**_

_**CG: 3**_

_**carcinoGenesist [CG] ceased trolling ectoBiologist [EB]**_

John sighed sadly. Just seeing the caps lock gray typing was enough to make John's heart throb with want. He went to respond to Karkat, but saw he was offline. Oh yea, he thought, it must be like, 3 in the afternoon there. Not time to get up just yet. Maybe Karkat would wake up before Rose decided it was time to leave the library and head to Dairy Queen for John promised treat.

After about four hours of looking around on the various websites that computer supplied to all, John's pesterlog icon lit up. John clicked on it and saw a message from Karkat. He beamed with delight.

_**carcinoGenesist [CG] began trolling ectoBiologist [EB]**_

_**CG: OH GOD PLEASE ANSWER JOHN.**_  
_**EB: karkat!**_  
_**CG: THANK JESUS.**_  
_**CG: YOU FINALLY RESPOND.**_  
_**EB: sorry! my laptop committed suicide and i dont have a job yet so **_  
_**CG: YET?**_  
_**EB: yes.**_  
_**EB: yet.**_  
_**CG: I DON'T...**_  
_**EB: im the baby of the four of us!**_  
_**EB: i still need to grow up.**_  
_**CG: I'M NOT GOING TO ARGUE WITH YOU BECAUSE IT'S TRUE.**_  
_**EB: someone agrees with me finally! **_  
_**EB: oh wait, rose is here**_  
_**EB: gotta go! time for ice cream. :D**_  
_**EB: if i can get on sometime soon, ill pester you. got it?**_  
_**CG: YEA. BUT JO-**_  
_**EB: bye-bye! 3**_

_**ectoBiologist [EB] ceased trolling carcinoGenesist [CG]**_

_**CG: WELL... FUCK.**_  
_**CG: I GUESS YOU'LL GET THIS WHEN YOU GET BACK.**_  
_**CG: TELL ME IF YOU FEEL... WEIRD IN YOUR STOMACH AREA. **_  
_**CG: IF YOU DON'T, THANK TROLL JEGUS.**_  
_**CG: IF YOU DO, WE'RE ROYALLY FUCKED, AND I'M SORRY.**_  
_**CG: BYE. 3**_

_**carcinoGenesist [CG] ceased trolling ectoBiologist [EB]**_

-

John and Rose drove down the streets until they got to the Dairy Queen. John stared out the passenger seat window the whole time, happy that he got to message Karkat for 10 whole minutes. He smiled to himself, hoping he'd get a chance to force Karkat to download troll Skype so they could see face-to-face until Sollux and Equius and Jade could build a teleporter for their teleporting needs. Rose parked in the parking lot, and the two went into the Dairy Queen.

Once the two had gotten their food, a chocolate dipped ice cream for Rose and an Oreo Blizzard for John, they sat down together at a booth. John got right to work on his treat. Rose decided she would be the one to start up a conversation. "So... Have you talked to Karkat recently?"

John looked up at her while a line of milky sweet goodness dribbled down his face. "Yea, while we were in the library. Have you talked to Kanaya?"

"Oh yes, we each wake up at an inconvenient time for us to either Skype or just pester for exactly one hour. So that means I wake up at three in the morning for her 3 in the afternoon, it then switches around for us after 12 hours have sped by."

"Eh, that sounds both horrible and tiring."

"Well sometimes love just has that effect on you."

"True." John smiled and gulped down his Blizzard. "Ready to leave yet?"

She looked at her barely eaten ice cream, and then back at John. He sank into his seat sheepishly. "Guess not..." he nervously giggled.

"Anyways, what did you and Karkat talk about?"

"I dunno... Nothing really exciting."

"Did you two by any chance talk about how you were the baby of Dave, Jade, and I and that's the reason you don't have a job yet?"

John stared at her with his mouth slightly open. "Uh... Yea. How did you know?"

"Well, while you were standing outside and playing with the leaves, I had to log you out of the computer. I couldn't help but notice that your Pesterchum icon was blinking so I read it. Do you feel any odd pains in your abdomen?"

"No...? Should I?"

"I'm not sure, I don't think so. Karkat just asked if you had or hadn't."

"I don't. Is that good enough?"

"Most likely. I doubt there are many times when inflammation of the stomach region includes positive results."

John nodded. "Wonder why he'd even ask that kinds of stuff." he shrugged and noticed that Rose was done with her ice cream, so he got up. "Oh well! Let's get home before Dave does!"

Rose smiled and followed the blue eyed boy to her car. But she couldn't help but wonder. Why would Karkat ask such a question to John? Did he accidentally give John some weird troll disease? Maybe she could talk to Feferi or Kanaya and get some knowledge on Trollian STDs or any other sickness. Rose assumed John and Karkat would have filled a bucket or two by now. Besides, she had heard some rather suggestive noises blasting through the walls of room number 6 when most of the other trolls were out exploring or clubbing.

Rose sighed, she hoped that whatever Karkat was so worried about was just a false alarm. She could never imagine John having troll AIDS,regardless to how serious it could or could not be. But if Karkat has done permanent damage to John's sweet little body, that teleporter wouldn't be able to keep away this Rose.

With that last thought, Rose joined John in the car and the two made their way back to the lovely rental house. Yet, Rose couldn't help but keep chancing nervous glances towards John. She wasn't sure if her light purple eyes were playing tricks on her or not, but she swore she could see something...off about John.

But she couldn't quite put her finger on it.****

((So basically in this fanfiction, the trolls and humans have defeated SBURB. Once they won, everything turned back to normal, and everyone was just standing in John's room, where everything started. They all decided that Seattle was a pretty chill place to live, so that's what they did. Up until everyone, except for John, turned 24 that the trolls decided it was time to go home. They were out of place, and the horror-terrors were getting unbearable. So, off those merry souls went! But the more important trolls, the trolls that were mentioned, will return. :D Thanks for reading this, bye-bye!))


	2. Chapter 2

Two weeks passed, and Rose had noticed John's health go from perfectly and adorably healthy to a disgusting sick. He would often wake up in the middle of the night with either nightmares, chronic pain in his belly area, or with vomiting that would sometimes be so intense, there was blood in the remains of what came up.

Everybody was worried about him, but out of all four of them, only Rose went to the trolls for help, specifically Kanaya. Rose spent three or four nights dedicated to Skyping and writing anything and everything her matesprit told her. When she finally decided that she had enough knowledge to diagnose John, she called Dave, Jade, and John down for a family meeting.

They all sat in the living room; Jade in the large blue recliner, John laying out on the tan, leather couch with a trusty pasta pot by his side, and Dave chilling in a black bean bag with a large can of Mountain Dew in his hands. Rose walked into the living room with her laptop in her arms. She placed it onto the square wooden coffee table and looked at her three close friends. "Due to my studying of Trollian sexual diseases with the help of Kanaya, I have exactly two ideas of what might be the cause of ailing you, John." informed Rose.

John looked up at her weakly. "Are your two guesses of my sick deadly or what?"

"It depends. Did you have sexual intercourse with Karkat before he left? And if so, who was on the giving end, and who was on the receiving end?"

Dave smirked, Jade giggled, and John's cheeks were dusted over with a light taint of pink. "Y-yea... He topped and I...did the other one..."

"Whoa. John is a bottomer. That's hot." Dave said, earning a glare from John.

Rose rolled her eyes and started regretting having Dave and Jade here. She just thought everyone should have a lesson on this, for future reference, of course. "Anyways, did you use a bucket like all the trolls are supposed to?"

"...No..." John said quietly.

"Oh dear," said Rose, "John, do you realize that all trolls are hermaphrodites?"

"I kinda noticed when we...the first time..." John's blush and Jade's giggle grew at a rapid pace.

"Right. That is a rather important thing to observe and remember." Rose said while she plugged along USB cord from her laptop into the TV. "Kanaya agreed to wake up early for a group Skype session with us and help me explain Trollian gentalia and the dangers of non-bucket usage during intercourse. Jade, Dave, if you two can't take this seriously, I will give you the Ampora treatment."

Dave waved her off. "That was ultimately embarrassing a long time ago. I can handle that now."

"B-but..." Jade mumbled, "I don't want to wear that codpiece and go on a date with myself again..."

"Then no giggling and keep all of your lewd or suggestive comments to yourself." Rose said as she tapped her fingers upon the keypad. She turned on the TV, and soon enough, the soothing, motherlike voice of Kanaya rang out in the cozy living room of the Beta kids.

"Rose? Are you able to hear me?" asked Kanaya, her bust taking up most of the television screen.

"Yes, Kanaya, I can hear you. Dave, Jade, and John are all here as well."

Kanaya smiled. "Hello everyone. John, have your condition's symptoms ceased yet? Or are they still as bothersome and painful as ever?"

"Still sick..." John said, rubbing his belly with a pained expression upon his face.

"Oh dear, I'm quite sorry to hear that... Rose, have you gone over the basics of Trollian reproductive cycle yet?"

"No, I wanted you to be here so then if I made a mistake, you would be able to correct me quickly. Now John, if you wondered why Trolls use buckets, the genetic fluid is used to dump on the Mother Grub and she makes the next generation of eggs. It is not up to the Trolls to conceive and do such things, but rather this Mother Grub's. This is because the Condesce brainwashed the trolls into thinking that reproducing by themselves was sickening to the stomach to even think about doing. With that being said, Trolls are still perfectly able to have and make their own baby and be pregnant and everything. It's just that their old ruler's ideas are still scarred into their brains for them to do such things, so they don't. As I previously told you, all Trolls are hermaphrodites. So that means two girl trolls can have a baby together and two boy trolls can do the same. With this 'super fertilizing power,' Trolls can not only make the same gender of their species pregnant, but also any species pregnant. As long as there is a fine line between male and female genders. Am I right so far, Kanaya?"

"You are, indeed. There is something I would like to add. John, I highly doubt that Karkat has given you a disease. In the 245 cases of Trolls having sex with outside species, there has not been one sexually transmitted disease. With this said, it rules out one of the two suspicions Rose and I have calculated down to. It could only mean that with the symptoms you're showing, that you are pregnant."

John's eyes widened to unusually large sizes. How could he be pregnant? How could he support a baby? What would it even look like? So many questions jumbled up in John's head, and John was overwhelmed.

Both Rose and Kanaya noticed his face pale with terror of how he could function with this new knowledge. Kanaya spoke first. "I'm pretty sure that you will have a lot of questions, I will tell you what I know from the books that I found on the bookshelves that my lusus probably supplied. Since you are a male, your body will be creating a uterus-like shelter for your egg until it is ready for you to lay the egg. Then, I suppose that your body will try to get rid of the shelter, though I am not sure how it will do it. Once the egg is out of you, you will not need to keep it under intense heat like your Earth birds do, for the walls surrounding the egg are very secure. But there is one problem to this."  
"W-what?"

"The father of the egg must create an emotional bond with the egg. This is very necessary in Troll reproduction. I don't know how to send Karkat there or you here, and I doubt Sollux and Equius are willing to do things when there is no benefit for them."

"Wait," said Dave, causing all of them to look at him. "Does that mean John's gonna have a temporary pussy"

"...Well, yes. If you want to put it like that." Kanaya said.

Rose glared at him and Dave put his hands up. "That was totally a legit question. No suggestiveness or anything."

John was silent for a while. "...Does Karkat know yet?"

Kanaya shook her head. "No, I thought it would be a better idea if you told him instead of me."

"Is he available?"

"Hmm... I do believe he is on Pesterchum. Maybe I could have him over for a few brief minutes so you can tell him the news."

"Please try that, Kanaya..." said whispered John.

"I'll do what I can, but I will have to cease communication on Skype for a little bit."

"That's ok with us. I think that we all need to discuss this news with John." Rose said.

"Alright then, goodbye for now you four." Kanaya's face blacked out.

All eyes turned on to John. Dave and Jade's mouths hung open in surprise. Rose kneeled in front of John. "Don't worry, John. We're all here to help you through this odd and troubling time..."

"I know... B-but..." John's eyes watered up. "K-karkat won't be here..."

Jade spoke up. "Maybe we could motivate Sollux and Equius to work on the transporter so he can be here!"

"But we must remember that now that Karkat is used to being back at sleeping all day and awake all night and sleeping in his pod, he'll start getting horror-terrors again if he was to come back here. And going over there would make you even more vulnerable to all the other trolls that we don't know."

"Isn't Feferi the queen now? Couldn't she make a law that killing Egbert would be a crime and if you try to kill him, you die?" Dave asked.

"No, she's a peaceful ruler, just like she always swore to be. She wouldn't break that personal law ever, not even for her closest friends."

"So I guess that means I'll just have to raise a troll grub that will never have a dad..." John said in the saddest voice possible.

"That isn't true. Jade, Dave, and I will make up for the time the child will have lost with Karkat." Rose said. Jade and Dave nodded in agreement.

John smiled a little bit, but even though his three closest friends in the world promised to help him raise a baby, it wasn't the same as having him and Karkat doing the parenting deed together. Dave went to go get the four of them Mountain Dews. Rose ruffled John's hair in an affectionate manner. "Don't worry, John. We're all here for you."

-

A few minutes later, Skype's trademark ring was heard around the house. John tried to lift his aching body to answer it, but Dave beat him to it. " Yo dog, I'd let you move around, but you're preggers. No moving 'till that shit's outta the oven."

Kanaya was once again on the television screen. Her hair was slightly askew, and she looked a little frustrated. "Well, with the effort of politely begging and offering of baked goods, Karkat has agreed to come over. I didn't tell him you were going to be here, John-"

"WAIT, WHAT?! JOHN IS GOING TO SEE ME IN MY FUCKING PAJAMAS? OH HELL NO I'M GONE." screamed an angry Karkat whose voice made John's heart flutter.

"D-don't go just yet, Karkat!" pleaded John as he stood up and stumbled toward the TV.

Kanaya saw John and her eyes widened. "Please refrain from moving with your body under construction for-"

Suddenly, Karkat's naked torso and face invaded the screen. "John?" he looked both worried and angry. "What's Kanaya wanting me to come over at 5 in the afternoon for?"

"U-um..." John looked down at his lap as he sat down on the couch. "Remember when before you left and we did all that stuff over and over?"

"Yea..."

"Well... Turns out... I'm pregnant with a grub. O-or baby! Uhhh... I don't know..."

Karkat's face went to a lighter gray as he fainted, falling on top of Kanaya. There was an 'oompf!' noise, screaming as Kanaya pinched Karkat repeatedly to get him off, and soon enough, both Kanaya and Karkat were on the screen. Karkat looked like he was the sick one and John wasn't. Kanaya was glaring at him. "Karkat, that is no way to act when you're going to be a father. You must be able to be a role model for the young grub-human. No matter how far away the distance is, your bond with it must be strong. Maybe if we collaborate and work together, we can have the teleporter made and you can help John through these troubling times."

John looked at Karkat with bright red transparent tears sliding down his face. Was Karkat going to avoid him now because of the baby? He sure hoped not. "Karkat..." John started. "I understand if this is all too much for you, it's a lot for me also! I just hope that you'll still help me through all of this, that's all.."

Karkat was silent as he stared at John, searching for any sign of pregnancy. His lips were formed into a hard, thin line and the bags under Karkat's eyes seemed to look darker than they were earlier. John looked away from the TV, unable to look at Karkat. "Well," said Karkat. "I guess I'll be going to have a wonderful fucking meeting with Kanaya, Sollux, and Equius for shitty little you. That is something I'm not looking forward to. I'll try to understand this stupid human Skype so I can talk to you later without all the extra people. Dave, quit with the fucking smug little smirk on your disgusting face! It's things like YOU that make me vomit blood." Karkat looked back at John, sighed, and pressed the end call button.

John was shaking with sadness. Now he had mind-boggling pain in his abdomen, but also a throbbing heart, yearning for the flushed feeling only Karkat could give him. John wasn't entirely sure if Karkat was upset with him or not. Karkat was just too confusing with his emotions at times...

Jade went to John and tried to rub his back, but John moved out of her hand range. "I'm just...going to go to bed." He stood up, stumbled a little bit, and limped up to the stairs to his room.

Once he got to his room, he gently eased himself into the bed. It was late December in Seattle, and the high was only 40 degrees, not to mention it was pretty rainy. This kind of weather didn't help John's mood one bit. He kicked off his blue converse shoes and curled up into the light blue blanket. About an hour and a half of dozing off in his bed, another wave of stabbing pain shuddered through his body, this time the pain was much more unbearable than the other ones. He screamed out in agony, clutching his poor stomach. John heard footsteps running up to his room as he let out screams and choked out sobs. Dave came in the room, looking at John with concern. "Dude, you alright? Jade and Rose went out for late-night food shopping."

John shook his head and reached out for Dave, crying like a child. Dave went to him and hugged John tightly. "Don't worry about all of this, bro. If Karkat can't be there for you, then I don't mind taking the role as Daddy for your little baby."

"It wouldn't be the-"

"I know, I know. But if it turns out to be more human than troll, at least I could teach the little guy how to play football and how to drop the bass..."

John smiled through his tears at the idea of a little 5 year old boy that had messy black hair and the nubbiest of all horns chasing Dave in anger for teasing him. "M-maybe... I'll have a better answer after the baby is forming and not just my temporary lady parts..."

"Good enough for me." Dave looked around the room. "If it's chill with you, could I make a pillow fort on the ground right over there and camp out in your domain? Then I won't be far away in case you need shit."

"That's sounds awesome. I know I've been hassling Rose enough and Jade has to go in tomorrow to sub a science class."

"Awesome. Be right back, then. Gonna go get my most choice pillows." Dave gently pulled himself from John's weak grasp and ran out of the room.

John smiled after him. He could always count on his best bro to keep him comfy and happy.

A few minutes later, onesie pajamas were put on, pillows were erected on the floor, and one grinning and one giggling pair of friends were lying down on the floor. John had decided that Dave was having too hard of a time to be making a pillow fort by himself that he just had to accompany him. John was snuggled up in a fluffy red blanket that belonged to the blonde. Dave was telling John a story of when he had to stop an orgy in the boy's bathroom at a club in the richer side of Seattle. "Then in the third stall, there was like, at LEAST five people stuffed in that little rectangle. I think that even the bathroom butler or whatever he is was in on it, too. It was crazy..."

"How did you stop it?" John said with a bright smile on his face.

"I had to fuck my way to the leader of whatever this was. She was smoking hot, Egderp. I had to defeat her in a wet tshirt competition. And lemme tell you right now, it's near damn impossible to do that when most everyone in this sexy bathroom is straight."

John giggled even more. "What'd you do then?"

"I won, of course. Remember, young Johnny, Striders rarely ever lose. After that, everyone put on their respective drinking clothes and the orgy leader and I got down to business."

John shuddered. "That's gross, Dave!"

Dave shrugged. "It wasn't the greatest fuck, but oh well. Can't go back and change it now."

"Whatever dude. I'm just gonna stick to guys, girls never sound like they have fun having sex, anyways." John yawned and snuggled into Dave's blanket. "I'm going to sleep. See you in the morning..." John passed out right then.

Dave smiled and scooted down into a lying down position right next to John. "Maybe I'll be just like you, John..."

He took off his shades and placed it outside of the pillow fort and turned off the lantern they had been using for light. Dave looked at the side of John's face, daring himself to kiss John's cheek. Then he looked down at John's belly, sighing. "It's going to be near impossible to get this little Egbert away from Karkat, even if Karkat lives a buttload of light years away..."

Dave sucked in the warm air caused by body heat and the pillows, and chanced the tiniest of kisses upon John's cheeks. John didn't even stir.

Dave smiled and nodded. "I did good." He yawned and slowly closed his eyes shut.

Soon, there was the opening of a door and two heads popped into the room. Rose and Jade had went to go buy McDonald's for everyone, but then Jade wanted to go to Target to purchase a new blanket for John so he could be warm. It had taken a while to say in the least, but they finally did get home. Rose peered into the darkness and saw Dave and John sleeping peacefully under a pillow shelter. She smiled, but then saw Dave's arm draped over John. Well that couldn't be good if Karkat's trying to get back to Earth for John... She would discuss this with Dave when John wasn't within hearing range.

Jade smiled at the sight. "Aww! Isn't that the cutest thing ever, Rose?" Jade whispered.

"You could say that, yes... Come Jade, let's go eat our food and go to sleep."

"Ok..." The two left the room and went back downstairs. Rose didn't like what she saw with Dave and John. Dave was a manwhore and John was extra vulnerable in his new state. Rose had to keep a closer eye on John now more than ever.****

((Wow... This fanfiction got bunches of follows, favorites, and reviews... I suppose I'll have To continue it, huh? :D I actually was gonna have it in earlier, but EOCTs and Final Exams attacked me while I walked down the dark school alley... But I'm free until January 8th, and plan to get at least two more chapters in! Things Change will be out by either Christmas Eve or Day... Depends on my plans... eue Anyways, bye-bye and breathe well on 12-21-12!))


	3. Chapter 3

When morning came, John woke up alone on the floor. He rubbed his eyes, groped around for his glasses, and put them on. He crawled sleepily through the pillow fort and stood up. Well, time to go find everyone else. it was Saturday today so at least Jade should be home. Rose would return to the house by 1 or 1:30, and it was always a different story for Dave. Usually all four of them were home by 4.

Boy did John love Saturdays.

John sat on the couch and pulled up his legs and sat like a certain sugar-loving detective would. He looked out the glass window and into the backyard. It was decent sized, maybe it could satisfy a smaller dog or maybe a toddler... Maybe. John looked down at his stomach and sighed. This was a terrible thing, yet a wonderful thing to have happened to him. John just hoped that the child would look human enough to go to school without being teased or feared of.

Soon, Jade was heard coming down the stairs. John diverted his attention to her descent down the staircase. She turned her head towards John and smiled. "Good morning, John! Did you sleep well on the floor?"

"Mhmm! How'd you know I slept there?"

"Rosie and I checked in on you when we got home! You looked pretty happy." she said as she sat down on the edge of the couch and put John's feet in her lap.

"Where'd Dave go? He was with me when I fell asleep..."

"Oh, he wanted to go with Rose to the library. So it looks like we have time to ourselves!"

"Sibling bonding fun time yay!" John said. "What're we gonna do first?"

"Hmm... Since you're with grub-baby, we can't do anything crazy like hike up the mountain..."

"We wouldn't do that anyways! It's too chilly for me... I'm cold natured, remember?"

"Oh yea... Hmmmm! How about we go shopping for baby things?"

John looked down. "I kinda wanted to do that when I had a better idea of the gender and what the baby will look like and if he'll be there..."

Jade nodded in agreement. "It must be ultra sucky for you... I hope Rose, Dave, and I can support you at at least a satisfactory level!"

"You already are, Jade..." John looked at her and smiled.

-

At the library, Dave was glued to one of the library computers. Everytime Rose walked by him, Dave would change the window at a lightning speed. Obviously, Rose was suspicious, but would confront the matter when Dave and her were in the car and driving home.

Rose walked behind Dave with a cart of biography and autobiography books, and tried to sneak a look at Dave's computer screen. What she saw was two tabs open. The one open was a lengthy looking document written in Alternian, the other tab seemed to by Google Translate. Rose scrunched up her eyebrows. Was Google even capable of translating an alien language? No need to worry about it now, she decided to look into it in the comfort of her own room.

Dave somehow sensed her presence and quickly opened up another Google tab and turned around to look at Rose. "'Sup Lalonde. When we leaving this joint?"

"Well, since the time is 11:30, we have about 30 or 40 minutes left. Is that enough time to finish your studying of the Alternian language?"

Dave stared at her for a while before saying, "You fucking saw my shit, didn't you?"

"Yes, and refrain from using such language in the library, thanks. Why are you even researching things in the Alternian language? It isn't about John is it?"

"Why else would I be busting my balls copying and pasting all this shit into Google Trans?"

"Poor Dave and his never-ending first world problems." She rolled her eyes and started going towards the back of the library. "I have to go put these books up, by the time I'm done, it should be time to go. Maybe you'll have all of your information in your bass-dropped brain stuffed inside." Rose walked away.

Dave sighed and spun around back to his Pesterchum log.

_TG: so_  
_TG: what youre telling me is_  
_TG: this long as shit document you sent me_  
_TG: is only about the making and hatching the egg?_  
_GA: Yes_  
_GA: I Do Fear That It Is Quite A Lot Of Reading_  
_GA: But I Believe You Can Overcome It Out Of Your Controversial Flushed Feelings For John_  
_TG: shut up about that_  
_TG: rosie posies walking around me_  
_TG: she looks suspicious as fuck_  
_GA: I Can Imagine Why_  
_TG: anyways_  
_TG: is this all the info i need?_  
_GA: Yes I Do Believe So_  
_GA: I Will Pester Another Time_  
_GA: Karkat Has Entered My Hive Uninvited For He Wants More Explaining About Human Pregnancies _  
_TG: whoa sounds like fun_  
_TG: aight i have to go anyways_  
_TG: talk to you later kanaya_

_turntechGodhead [TG] ceased pestering grimAuxiliatrix_

Dave sent the URL of the information and the deciphered information to his email and logged off. The library was mostly empty, just a few college students were standing in the checkout line with at least 4 books in their arms. Dave decided to wait for Rose out by the car, and left the library. He had time to check his iPhone to see that he had received three text messages. All from different people. Dave slid his phone to unlocked mode and checked them.

Sonny Moore: I'm in town next week and you better be at the concert! Last time we hung out you were pretty kickass and dropping basses and throwing out sick rhymes like it was nothing. So be there. I'll get you in, so don't worry about paying or anything. See ya, dude!

Dave texted back with an 'sweet ok im already there' Then he went to the next text.

Joel Zimmerman: if Sonny hasn't dished the shit out yet, we're gonna be in Seattle next week. it'd be the best thing ever if you could come! see you there.

Dave sighed and replied, 'yea im going. dont take my spot on stage like you did last time dude. not cool'

John Egbert: dave! kanaya skyped me and jade and said that tonight she would have equius and maybe sollux over to talk about the portal thing! you and rose better be there! got it?

Dave sighed. Oh yea. John wants Karkat to be the legit dad of the grub-baby. Not some random gay(?) best bro to fill in the slot instead. Dave understood why, yet he wanted to be in John's life rather than Karkat. Regardless that the offspring wasn't Dave's doing, but he doubted he could've made such a thing otherwise. Maybe someday Dave would get his way... Maybe.

Rose soon came out and got in the car. Dave sat in the passenger seat and yawned. "John texted me and Kanaya wants a Skype party with us tonight. He didn't say what time but he wants us to go."

"Naturally he'd want us there. We're one of the few people he knows that would understand his predicament without finding him to be a complete and total mutant. What will the meeting be about? Did he specify on those details?"

"Uhhhh... Kanaya, Equius, and maybe Sollux were showing up and talking about the portal we all want Equius and Sollux to make so Karkat and Johnny can get to each other."

"Oh! Well that will be a very interesting meeting indeed. I hope Sollux and Equius agree to making the contraption... I know how much Karkat and John would like it..." Rose said as she pulled out of the library parking lot and into the busy streets of Seattle.

Dave nodded and looked out the window. Soon they got back to the house and went inside. John was sitting in the living room, watching 'Jake the Dad' Adventure Time episode. "Hello John," said Rose as she placed the car keys into a light purple bowl placed on the counter that had a bright green, red, and dark blue bowl beside it. "Where's Jade?"

"Oh, she went out to her greenhouse to check on her pumpkins... Dave! Have you seen this episode yet? Jake and Lady finally had the babies! I like TV, but Jake Jr looks really creepy..."

"That's cool." Dave hopped over the back of the couch and landed right beside John. "What time's the Skype party?"

"Umm... 7ish? That's what Kanaya said." John said, shoveling hand fulls of popcorn into his mouth.

Rose walked down the hallways and to her bedroom. When pulling sticks to choose out who got which bedroom, Rose scored the master bedroom. So she got a bathroom and a large space to keep all her various possessions. "Perfect, that leaves enough time for me to shower and put all of my observations on human and trollian pregnancies into one easy-to-follow packet."

John and Dave sat in silence and watched the television. The five puppies were saving their exhausted father from the foxes who wanted to eat babies. Soon Jade came in from the blistering cold of a Seattle winter, ear muffs on and scarf nearly off of her neck. She shivered as she closed the door, and looked at the living room. "Hey guys! What's up?"

"Nothing. Just watching cool cartoons." said Dave.

"Sounds like fun!" Jade exclaimed as she sat cozily in the arm chair and pulled a soft green throw over blanket from off of the ground and snuggled into it.

The three of them spent the next five hours watching Cartoon Network and sometimes Animal Planet for Jade's sake. Sometimes Jade or Dave would get up to get a snack for each of them, but they really were addicted to the Adventure Time Rose came out at 6:30 with a folder filled with many papers. She looked at the trio with stern motherly disapproval. "Look at you three, wasting away your precious lives with eye LSD. All of you better put on accepting clothes and be back down here before 6:45. If you aren't then prepare fro Lalonde level punishments. Now go on! You have 10 minutes!"

John and Dave scampered up the stairs for their bedrooms, and jade squealed and ran down the same hallways Rose's bedroom led to and went to her room. Dave changed into a fresh pair of blue pajama bottoms, for they fit better around his slightly rounder belly than regular pants. He changed shirts and put on one of Karkat's cancer symbol long sleeved shirts. Meanwhile, Dave just changed from one shirt to a wifebeater and slid on a red pullover and walked out. Jade undressed into her her underwear and changed into her most casual dress she had and went back out into the living room.

Once the four of the young adults had taken their spot in the living room, Rose once again set up her laptop to where it was showing on the TV screen. "Alright," said Rose. "She should be calling any se-"

The Skype ringtone began playing through the TV speakers. Rose smiled a little as she turned on the call. Kanaya had arranged the computer camera to where it showed Sollux, Equius, and herself sitting at an orange table. Sollux had a jar with three bees inside, creating the poisonous mind honey necessary to make his lusus smarter. Equius was dabbing his forehead with a olive green towel, probably a gift from his morail. Kanaya smiled at the humans through the camera. "Good evening you four and a half. I got Sollux and Equius to get here at the expected time, but Karkat was busy with Gamzee and won't be here for a little while. Is that ok with you all?"

"Yup," said Dave, casually putting an arm around John. "Yo. Smart tech dudes. How goes the portal to the Nether?"

Sollux gave him a smirk. "Shut up about that. And good. I think it's a huge waste of time going there, though."

"What! It's no such thing. You gotta get things there in order to beat the game!"

"...You can beat it?"

"I do not wish to hear you two talk about a pointless game with graphics about as amazing as Pac-Man. Sollux and Dave, if you wish to talk about the Eye of Ender and how stupid looking a Ghast is, go on Pesterchum and discuss in depth. I want to hear if it's possible to make a gate to transfer Karkat and slash or John to Alternia and Earth." ranted Rose.

Dave and Sollux gasped. "You know about-" stated Sollux.

Kanaya sighed. "Who doesn't? You talk about it all the time in our full meetings. Anyways! Sollux. Equius. Inform them of what you've gotten so far."

Equius sat up straighter and tightened his grip on the blue towel in his hand. "Certainly, Kanaya. We have made the blueprints for such a contraption, but it will take quite some time to make it."

"Yea," piped in Sollux. "We thtill gotta make sure it'th thafe enough to tanthport KK or you, John. Ethpecially thinthe you're preggerth and all."

John nodded glumly. "I understand... How much time do you estimate this thing to take?"

"Without food, thleep, or breakth for anything... A good three or four months. And that'th only if e dedicate our whole pathetic liveth to thith thing." Sollux smirked.

"But for the things we have been promised from both Karkat and Kanaya, I will work my hardest to get it done for you, John." said Equius.

"What were you promised, Zahaak? A solution from sweating a disgusting amount? That would sure be worth it." said Dave.

Equius stayed silent as Sollux snickered. Kanaya rolled her eyes and yawned. "I do fear it's getting pretty late... Sollux and Equius need to prepare for making the teleporter tonight so they need to get to their beds. I don't understand why Karkat hasn't shown up, perhaps he got caught up with important Karkat business... I shall ask him on John's behalf tomorrow when I see him. Ok, goodbye Rose, Jade, Dave, and John. Talk to you all another time." The screen went dark.

John sighed. "I know it's early, but i just want to go crawl in my bed and fall asleep..."

Rose looked at him with a frown. She and Dave helped him up to his room and made sure he was comfortable. After Rose left the room, Dave turned and looked at John, sighing a little. John looked up from his blue blankets. "What, Dave?"

"Just...nothing, bro." Dave grinned. "See ya in the morning."

"'Kay, I'll see you tomorrow...bro." John smiled.

Dave waved slightly at him as he left, sealing away the image of John dozing off deep into his mind.****

((kills self  
im sorry this is so late a bunch of jizz happened and now it's march and I'm madly in love with Mincraft. I especially love watching the bros from Rooster Teeth playing it, Gavin makes me cry from his stupidity xD  
so yea here's a new chapter, I'm probs gonna either update Things Change, Just When I..., or upload these two NEW stories I thought of. Plz help me, my mind thinks of new ideas before completing old ones ;-;))


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